Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso said the city government will file charges against individuals who have refused to turn over control of the Manila Public Information Office (PIO) Facebook page following the end of the previous administration’s term.
In a statement posted Wednesday, July 2, Moreno informed Manila residents and the public that, for now, all official city announcements will be made through his personal Facebook page while access to the PIO account remains withheld.
“Habang naka-hostage pa ang MPIO Facebook Page, dito muna tayo mag-aanunsyo ng mga balita sa ating lungsod,” Moreno wrote on Facebook.
“We will file charges sa mga may gawa nito dahil pag-aari ‘yan ng pamahalaan. May gobyerno na sa Maynila, hahabulin namin kayo,” he added.
Moreno also ordered that a formal letter be sent to Meta Philippines to reclaim access to the Manila PIO Facebook page, which is reportedly being controlled by former city employees who have not relinquished it following the end of former Mayor Honey Lacuna’s term.
He said Meta should be informed that administrative access must be transferred to the newly appointed Manila City Public Information Officer, Director E-jhay Talagtag.
The Manila PIO said that regaining control of the page is essential, as it serves as a key channel for disseminating information during emergencies, crises and natural calamities.
The last post on the Manila PIO page was on June 30, the last day of Lacuna’s term as Manila mayor.
The page was created on May 31, 2019, several days after Moreno won as mayor in the 2019 local elections before, with Lacuna as his running mate.
The city public information office or PIO plays a key role in disseminating adequate, relevant, and timely information to the public — both residents and non-residents — regarding the city’s programs, initiatives, and services.
It also disseminates information from the office of the mayor, the head of the city, including announcements on class and work suspensions in times of weather disturbances and other events.
PIOs utilize media, particularly social media, to achieve this objective.
Like other offices, it is heavily reliant on Facebook, which is the most popular social media platform among Filipinos.
Moreno vs. Lacuna
Meanwhile, reports said that Moreno inherited an empty office and unpaid debts as he assumed post on June 30.
He said that basic office furnishings, such as curtains and microphones, were not visible.
Lacuna previously shared that she felt “betrayed” upon learning of Moreno’s mayoral candidacy in the 2025 midterm elections.
She said that he had promised her he would retire from politics if he lost in the 2022 presidential elections and would not oppose her in the mayoral race.
